Fright Night sound too scary for your little ones? Not scary enough for your liking? Celebrate the season in Fort Wayne, Indiana with this guide to fall and Halloween events, ranging from kid-friendly to truly frightening.

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Wild Zoo Halloween Girl

Scare Scale: Guide to Halloween Activities in Fort Wayne, Indiana

With the changing leaves, costumes galore, and spooky events, October is always a festive time of year! But not every event is right for every person. Fort Wayne's largest Halloween celebration, Fright Night, returns Saturday, October 18! That one day in itself contains dozens of events for each age group and scare preference.

To help you out as you plan your October, we're sorting this month's events by scare level. Each section has tips for Fright Night events, as well as additional events happening throughout October.

1. Young Children Activities: Merry-Not-Scary

FRIGHT NIGHT (October 18):

Despite its name, Fright Night offers plenty of kid-friendly events that go light on scare, and heavy on fun! Grab your costumes and check out a few of these offerings on October 18 that are great for all ages:

  • Zombie Walk — You'll find kids of all ages joining the Zombie Walk downtown from 9 am to 11 pm. Everyone is welcome! NOTE: Some costumes may be a bit graphic or scary for our youngest ghosts and goblins.
  • New this year! Trick or Treat at downtown businesses like the Visitors Center from 11Am - 3PM.

THROUGHOUT OCTOBER:

Additional all-ages activities include —

  • Wild Zoo Halloween — Visit the animals and wear fun costumes!
  • Kuehnert Dairy Fall Festival — Corn mazes, pumpkins, ice cream, and more can all be found at this fun farm festival.
  • Pumpkin Path Display (Oct. 1-27) and Garden Trick or Treat (Oct. 25) at the Botanical Conservatory — The Botanical Conservatory has much to offer for spooktacular events!
  • Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead at Fort Wayne Museum of Art — This lovely exhibit honors the Mexican traditions of Day of the Dead.
  • Howl-O-Walkoween — Enjoy a pet costume contest, parade through Promenade Park, raffle prizes, pet portraits, food trucks, and live musicZombie Walk 2016 - Fright Night - Mariachi

2. Teen Terror Activities

FRIGHT NIGHT (October 18):

Take it up a notch, and get zombified for the Zombie Walk! Then, discover the haunts of Fort Wayne with these additional Fright Night events:

  • 40th Anniversary Screening of the Horror Classic Fright Night (1985) at the Fort Wayne Cinema Center from 7pm - 10pm
  • Rocky Horror Picture Show with Fright Night Market at the Botanical Conservatory from 7pm - 11pm
See the full Fright Night Survival Guide for details.

THROUGHOUT OCTOBER:

Additional events for teens and older include —

  • Fort Wayne Haunted Houses — Ghouls, goblins, and all things spooky are just waiting to scare you at these haunted houses!
  • Escape Rooms — With plenty of Halloween-themed rooms to pick from, bring a team and try to escape!
  • Werewolf Chase Fun Run — Outrun the werewolves and try not to get bitten!

Fright Night Zombie Walk Crowd

3. Mature Audiences: Hauntings and Zombies

Up the frightening factor with the spoookiest stories and haunts around, perfect for an evening out with friends. These events are recommended for adults and not suitable for all ages.. Attend if you dare!

  • Fright Night Zombie Walk
  • Fright Night Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Botanical Conservatory — Experience the cult classic with a live audience! Does it make you shiver with antici...pation?
  • Nightmare Before Miracle Halloween Pop-Up Bar — Yes, a Halloween-themed pop-up bar by the team at Copper Spoon! (21+ only)
  • Hysterium — One of Indiana's top haunts!
  • Rock Your World Halloween Psychic and Holistic Expo — Shop for holistic products and get your fortune told at this exciting expo coming to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
See the full Fright Night Survival Guide for details.

Plus, there are many other festive events for you to enjoy this October in Fort Wayne! 

See the full Calendar of Events, or check out more spooky events for horror lovers.

*This post was originally published October 2018 and has been updated and reformatted. Last Updated: September 2025

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